The Surprise Attack
by aekastar
Summary: it has romance, it has drama, it's crafty - wittay! I'd like to hear what you think!
1. Default Chapter

In no way do I hold any copyrights to any character of Tenchi Muyo. They are all copyright to Pioneer and the respectful writers. it is all in fun. Thank you.  
  
  
  
As the cherry blossoms flew from the trees and the sun began to rise, there sat the guardians. "Aaah, smell the air. Another beautiful day here on earth!" murmured Kamadake. Azaka agreed, "it is, indeed."  
  
  
"AAAAH!!!" there was a scream off in the distance. Ryoko came barreling through causing destruction with energy blasts from her wrist gems. Ayeka had made the mistake of clutching Tenchi in the cabin again; "You slutty slut! You are not so modest after all, eh, princess??" "Lies! Lies all of it!! Azaka! Kamadake!! After heerrr!!" The logs got into position to attack, weapons loaded, "yes princess.."  
  
  
The fight was on.... Ryoko kept blasting and blasting, but so did the guardians. Ayeka watched in a haughty stance in the corner, eyes shut, nose upturned. Soon, one destruction blast came forth when someone walked in the midst of it....  
  
  
  



	2. The Surprise Attack Part II - SAKUYA!

It was....SAKUYA!! She had jumped the train from Tokyo again to see her beloved Tenchi. Ayeka opened her eyes in an outrage, "WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?!?" Ryoko stops in midblast as Sakuya cowers behind a tree with smoke coming out of it. Mouth wide open, frozen.   
  
  
"WELL??" Ayeka taps her foot impatiently, "SEEEIIIIZEEE HERR!!" Ryoko unfreezes and shakes her head, ready to blast poor Sakuya, "Well, Ayeka, looks like we need to tag team this one; you up for it? Lets just forget about the animosity for now..."   
  
  
"Hmph! You should talk, Miss Wristgem Mcblaster!" Ayeka said in the most cordial manner she could muster. "Aw come ooon princess, don't ya see she's in our way. Hell, if those guardians of yours didn't stop, she would've been problem solved!" Ryoko cackles insanely, still aiming her energy blaster in the supposed direction of the top of Sakuya's sunglassed head. She shakes and says, "Tenchi, what's going on? ...aren't these your friends?"  
  
  
Tenchi walks out of the cabin and then freezes in mid motion, "AIEEE! What's going on? ...giiirrls?"   
"Aah Tenchi-san, glad you have arrived. Get this retched girl out of here..." pointing at the tree, Ayeka's finger shakes and tears propel from her eyes as she turns her head away in shame, "oooh Tenchi.." clutching him she mutters, "that girl, that girl is just horrible; she's.. she's a witch. Why won't she leave us alone??"   
  
  
Ryoko floats over, "Princess! You just couldn't wait to get on him...you bitch!" she pushes Ayeka's hands away and snuggles her whole body around him..."we're meant to be together, Tenchi...not that snotty princess who needs to go back to her OWN planet or that retched little hack of a girl Sakuya...just you and me....just..." "GRRR...RYOKOOO!!! What happened to working it out? We must seize her remember??" pointing her finger she freezes...  
  
  
In unison they all say, "where..where did she go?"  
  
  
Only the mist of smoke vanishing from the tree remains of where Sakuya stood like a leaf blowing in the wind...  



	3. The Surprise Attack Part III - Yugi Plan...

Flashing to the darkness of Yugi's evil secret lair, floating in a poof of smoke above the dubious crowd below looking high and low amongst the trees. She cackles, "Those miscreants will never learn!! I am just playing a lovely little game with them. I will destroy them without ever laying a finger on their puny mortal/alien/dainty Juraian [who knew a soup du jour such as this could be created in one atmosphere, eh?] bodies!!!" AHAHAHAH AHAHAHAH MUAHAHAHAHA RAHAHAHAH!!  
  
  
"Umm...Yugi?" one of the helpers stands by with their finger extended above her hunched over shoulder as spit plummets from her evil opened mouth. "AHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!" She tosses her head back and almost flips over with excitement. "YUGI?!?" Composing herself she exclaims, "Ooh *ahem* yes... yes... sorry, got carried away there."   
  
  
"Are you going to bring back your shadow before they figure you out?"   
"No, no... I'm going to lead them on very, very slowly. Right now I've got just enough animosity in them to last for a whole week! Then POOOOF!!! We shall get my shadow, poor little Sakuya, to get Tenchi to follow her into the cabin.. then who knows what I'm capable of having them do...MUAHAHAHAHAHHA!!"  
"Umm Yugi? Erm, don't you think that's a bit unplanned? You know how timid that boy is. Do you think she could really get him to do anything? And have the girls spot him just in time to destroy peace?"  
"YES!! YEEEESSS!! I am Yugi!! I can do anything. Now get me a glass of water. I'm parched."  
  
  
-----  
  
  
Meanwhile, down on earth, they all sigh and collapse underneath a tree. "Pheeww.. I guess no killings today, eh?" Tenchi laughs hesitantly and cringes at the fire in Ryoko's eyes. "I'll get that girl sooner or later!!! AUUUGHHHH!! Don't you see what she's doing to you??" "Errrr... eeeeeee... eckeckeck?" Tenchi crawls behind a tree. "OOOH TENCHI!! I will save you!!" Ryoko jumps on him lovingly and her face goes into a blissful grin.  
  
  
Ayeka spouts fire from her nostrils and her eyes blaze with destruction. "ENOUGH!!!"   
Ryoko lets up a bit, "Alllriiight princess. We have to get Sakuya though. She is no good. If we get rid of heeeerrr we will have Tenchi!" "Hmph.. more like I will! He is a descendent of Jurai mind you.. he doesn't need a little whore like you Ryoko!!" "AUUUGHHH!! Princess! You never play fair!" "Oooh? and you do??" "Ladies, ladies, enough!!" Tenchi cuts in, jittering and fear written all over his face, "Please, let this gooo... AUUGH!"   
  
  
They begin to wrestle, beams of lightning and fire appear in their eyes, trees get zapped, poofs of smoke...  
*BAAAAMM* *ZZAAPPPP* *SHOOOOOM* *THWAAACK*  
  
  
In exhaustion, they fall, covered in soot and smog.   
"Okay, we will save our energy next time for Sakuya. She will pay for this."  



	4. The Surprise Attack Part IV - Mecha Saku...

In Washu's lab:  
"YAUUUGH!!! Why can't we go to Tokyo?!?"  
"Ryokooo calm down! We won't accomplish anything by doing irrational things."   
"Washu, I beg to differ! I WANT SAKUYA DESTROOOOYYYED!!" *clenching fists* "We must find that bitch before she gets her slimy hands on Tenchi!"   
"And we will, but going to Tokyo, the place she usually dwells, will not solve things. It's best to let me handle things."  
"What invention do you have now?"  
^__^ "AH! Glad you asked!!" *puppets pop out* 'Washuuu you're the greatest! Yeah Washuu! Yeaah!' *throw your hands up* "It's simple. We will simply create MECHA SAKUYA! She will do everything Sakuya does. When the two run into each other on the street, she will take out her mecha blaster! No one gets their hands dirty. I'M A GENIUS!" *wide grin* 'You're the greatest Washu! Simply the best!' "YEAAAH!" *hand raised in triumph*  
*Ryoko grins* "As long as it works...SAKUYA IS MIIIINE!!"  
  
  
----  
  
  
The Masaki kitchen:  
"Diiiinnnerrr's ready!" Sasami comes out holding a big ladle spoon and wearing an apron with a carrot atop it. Ryo-ohki hops out, "Miiiyaaa! Meowww myaaaa myaaa!!" *big eyes rise up to meet the big carrot and jumps* *siiigh* "Oooh, Ryo-ohki... I got something for you too." *Sasami lays out a bowl piled up with delicious carrots* Ryo-ohki's ears pop up in earnest. "MIIYAAAA!" *peace sign ZIIIING*  
Ayeka and Ryoko meet halfway to the kitchen and scowl. "Hrrrmph!" "Grr errrph"  
"You two, stop it. Are you still worried about the Sakuya incident yesterday? I don't want you two getting up into anything...and I mean it!"   
"Tenchiiiii" *loving embrace* "Lord Tenchi...!!" *pleading hands*  
"NOOO! Girls, look, it's nothing to get up in arms about. I'd like it to stay to idle threats, okay? I don't want you two destroying all of Tokyo. Do you understand?"  
*heads hung...scurrying to their seats at the table*  
  
  
Sasami looks up from the head of the table. "Where's Washu?"  
  
  
----  
  
  
dum...duunnn..duuunn DUMMM!! Mecha Sakuya pops out with unsteady feet. "ALLLRIIIIGHT!!! YEAH! YEAAAH!!" *fists raised* "I've done it!"   
"What. is. goi-ing...on? I'm Me.ch.aa. Sak.u.ya." *blink blink* "sent. to..des. stroy.. Sakuya... must. get. to. Tok.y.oooo.."  
"Yeeesss..YES!"  
  
  
-----  
  
  
Tenchi looks up from his meal. "Ryoko, can you go down to the lab and get Washu? She's missing out on dinner."  
Ryoko grins, "Right on it." *coddles tenchi till he cringes*  
Ayeka scowls and clenches her fists ....thinks better of it - turns her head, "Hmmmmph!!"  
"Awww Ayeka, it's okay. Let that anger out."   
"Not on the likes of youuu Ryoko. I have better fish to fry."  
"You keep talking that drivel....Tenchi's alll miiiine anywayy."  
"Don't make up lies Ryoko. We all know Lord Tenchi is a part of the Jurai Royal Family and it's just a matter of time..."  
"GIIRLLS! Stop it! Ryoko, go get Washu and I mean it...Ayeka, pleeaase, pleaase ..." *pleading eyes*  
*heart eyes* "Anything for you Lord Tenchi...."  
Ryoko floats through the wall and down to the lab grumbling ....  
  
  
----  
  
  
Washu hears footsteps behind her and diverts her eyes from Mecha Sakuya. "Ooh Ryoko! You're just in time!! I PRESENT TO YOU...MECHA SAKUYA!!"  
Head still hung from Tenchi's orders, Ryoko has a delayed reaction until Mecha Sakuya steps forward awkwardly and yells out, "I. am. sent. to. dest.roooyy. Sakuya. MECHA. BLAS.TERR!" *ZIIP BOP BOOOP!*  
*giddy palms* "Washu!! You're the greatest! Soon, Sakuya...soon... I hate to go against Tenchi's orders, but that girl had it coming..." 


	5. The Surprise Attack Part V - Noise in th...

Tenchi walks cautiously through the forest on his way to school. With the tension that has gone on this week, he wouldn't be surprised if something or someone jumped out at him. "..grumble.. When will those girls learn...violence is not the answer..OH GREAT...grumblegrumble.. I sound like one of those NBC adverts they put out...um, I like Conan if that's any consolation... No, I'm the Weakest Link..." *hangs head*  
  
  
----  
  
  
"Washu, when will this plan go out?!? I'm soooo in need of revenge and ineeditNOW!"  
"Patience..patience!! I just have to smooth out a few kinks, so we don't have what happened with Mecha Washu. We don't want a shooting range freeforall now do we?"  
*mouth open; sweat drop appears* "uh uh" *shakes head*  
"Alllriiight then! You go back upstairs. Tell me when dinner is ready. I've been working on this so long, I missed lunch and I am staaaarving!"  
  
  
---  
  
  
Ayeka sits in the living room with hearts appearing in her eyes as she flips through a bridal magazine. "Siiigh. Soon Lord Tenchi you will realize.... you will realize we belong together... Can you see it?"  
  
  
*flashback sequence*  
"You're soaking wet....A...Ayeka..." Tenchi paces over carrying a towel, "Here" his smile warms up the room .....so polite.... those dimples... the glow....   
Ayeka almost swoons and slides off the bench, *aaaaah squuuueeeeee* "Lord..Lord Tenchi..." She looks up with tears in her eyes, "Tenchi....I owe you my life! You saved me...."  
"Ayeka! There's no need...."  
"NO! Oooh Lord Tenchi," *she runs to his arms in an embrace* "I'm just glad you're ...here with me"  
"Ayeka...." he drops the towel from his clasped hands in shock...  
*end flashback sequence*  
  
  
"OOOH TENCHI!!" *dancing around the room in a tizzy holding the magazine up* "So perfect! Perfect...."  
  
  
---  
  
  
Sasami stirs the broth ....."hmmm we need more ...carrots..."   
"MIYAAA! miyamiyaaa!!"   
"Ooh Ryo-ohki, the word carrot appeals to you, doesn't it? Don't worry. I'll give you a HUGE bowl after I'm done with the soup!" *big grin*  
"miya meoww miyaa!" *stars in eyes of dancing carrots*  
"I wonder where the others are..."  
*Ryo-ohki frowns* "miya?"  
"They aren't usually this late..."  
  
  
---  
  
  
Ryoko stumbles through the path outside the shrine and floats up to the top of the roof to think. "I know I need Tenchi. This is the right thing to do ...it is.... soon Ayeka will too. She wants this as much as I do! And when she least suspects it, Tenchi will be mine!! I can get her to go along with me..." The moon peeks through the clouds... "Ooh Tenchi...Why don't you understand? Sakuya is traaaash! She's no good for you..." *refraining from more; shaking and turns head* "Aaaraaaauuuughhh!"  
The echoes can be heard into the night....  
  
  
---  
  
  
Ayeka stops in her happy dance to hear the rhapsodic chime outside the window...that noise? A wolf? Noo..coyote? They don't reside here! Hmmm....Ryo-ohki! No...too human.....  
  
  
---  
  
  
"Did you hear that?"  
"Miya?"  
"Hmm...I hope everything is okay." Putting down the spoon, Sasami bounces into the entryway..."Dinner's ready!!"   
Ayeka looks up, "Sasami! did you hear that peculiar noise outside just now?"  
"yes...I wonder what it could be....."  
  
  
---  
  
  
"Sakuya...." *hiccup* *moan* *cry* "SAKUYA!!! ....tomorrow...." a stick breaks with a thundering crackle. 


	6. The Surprise Attack Part VI - Ryoko and ...

"WHOOOOOOOOSH!!"  
*roses flutter about*  
"Hmm?" ..pause.. "Ooh."  
  
  
Ryoko floats by with glee through the treetops as the sun rises over the quaint Masaki residence. The Guardians remain by the entranceway humming a tune to the morning wake-up call of the perched birds in the branch above.  
  
  
----  
  
  
Washu's Lab:  
"So is she ready for battle?"  
"RIGHTLY SO!! All she needs is to be awakened with the push of this power button and I've built in this vortex for her to step through into Tokyo where I've calculated is very near to Sakuya's dwellings."  
"YESSSS!!! Washu, you're the best! Lets get this thing started!!"  
A light shines down on the capsule where Mecha Sakuya [TM] resides, eyes shut and limp. Washu gets out her extended laptop and types in a few codes while Ryoko grins immensely floating behind her.   
"Alright, Mecha Sakuya, step out."  
*zipzip ssssshhhh* Mecha Sakuya steps out awkwardly and blinks. "Time. to. destroy. Sakuya. RAAAAH!" she gets out a weapon from her cloak and extends it at ...Ryoko?!?  
  
  
----  
  
  
The Masaki Living Quarters:  
"I wonder what Ryoko is up to now. She is definitely up to something seeing as how she's been grinning like a fool all day."  
"Ayeka...do you think she was the one who made that weird scream last night?"  
"Ooh Sasami, OF COURSE! It must've been that *whispers and turns head* wench. Of course, she'd cause a raucous over nothing."  
"Ooh poor Ryoko. Maybe she needs some miso soup; maybe she's delirious with a sickness. Should I...should I go check on her?"  
*Ayeka sticks her nose in the air* "No, believe me, she is PERFECTLY fine...just acting like her old self. Nothing changes..."  
"But...but.....does this have to do with that nice girl Sakuya?" *grabbing on her sister's robes* "Please tell me it doesn't!!" *wimper* "I think she is so... niiice"  
"Sasami pull yourself together!!" *hands on her shoulders and kneels down* "Look, I can promise you this. I will not go after her or get the Jurai Royal Family involved in this. It is all Ryoko now. I will not stop her but I will not pursue this further. Lord Tenchi knows what's best on his own. I know that he has good intuition and he will see through this girl with time.."  
*Sasami closes her eyes and exhales* "Okay," she mumbles and trudges off to the kitchen to make dinner.  
  
  
-----  
  
  
Washu's Lab / Vortex Open:  
"ALLRIIIGHT! Mecha Sakuya, go find Sakuya...you know what to do." *rubs hands together in glee*  
"Should I go with her?"  
"No, no, don't interfere. We can watch from the monitor to see her progress and instruct her through these headsets." *she hands Ryoko one*  
Mecha Sakuya blinks again and begins to mechanically walk through the vortex which blinds the two with a blast of light. "I. go. now." *WHOOOSH*  
  
  
-------  
  
  
Alleyway in Tokyo:  
Mecha Sakuya trudges through chirping "Right. Left. Right. Left. Right! Mecha Blaster!!!!" and then she disappears around the corner.  
  
  
-------  
  
  
Washu's Lab in Front of The Screen:  
"Okay, she is heading west. She's on the right track. Calm down Ryoko...."  
*ryoko fidgets with her headset* "Yes, I know. I just want to make sure nothing screws up. That little vixen needs to get what's coming to her...." 


	7. The Surprise Attack Part VII - Sakuya Re...

"Uh huh. Just a liiitttle fuuurther. Come on! Come oonn!" Ryoko cheers on Mecha Sakuya on the screen as she walks hesitantly to the door of Sakuya's desolate little loft...  
  
  
---  
  
  
Yugi's Lair- watching their screen:  
"Mmmm..." *rubbing palms together* "You will not find Sakuya there since I've set her on a bus directly to the Masaki residence where Tenchi is in the fields ....very alone" AHAHAHAHAH!!!  
Her assistant rolls her eyes behind Yugi's back, but comes up to her with a grin, "Very good. You've done well."  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Fields:  
Tenchi is hoeing the ground with a shovel, planting the carrot seeds. Sweat drips from his forehead from the heat. "Aaaah. It's sweltering today. I hope Sasami is making some more lemonade. Maybe some melon would be nice too. Nice and sweet on such a hot spring day. Aaah a boy can dream. Now back to planting those carrots..."  
  
  
Sakuya peeks out from a tree having just hopped off the bus a block away. The birds are chirping. Sakuya sees Tenchi rub his forehead with a cloth from his pocket. She blushes and sighs. aside GET ON WITH IT end aside   
Gingerly she makes her way up the path as the cherry blossoms fall around her in earnest.  
  
  
Tenchi glances up towards the sun, and gingerly takes his shirt off so he can hoe faster and get inside to the bath house to wash up before dinner.   
  
  
Sakuya continues to get closer, but she almost loses her breath at the sight of him there in the fields. Such masculinity. How she'd like to take him. A fierce blush overcomes her and she stumbles on a loose stone and snaps a twig. "AAH!" she gasps and tries to run.  
  
  
Tenchi looks up. Was that Sa..Sakuya? He wonders and puts the hoe down to go check. Walking towards the trees he sees a small figure - a girl wearing a skirt; jacket tied around waist and a T-shirt; short black hair swinging in her jaunt - pushing against the trees' trunks in her fright. "WAIT!! SAKUYA!! Please...please don't run away...I want to talk to you..."  
  
  
"Aah?" she turns around in her haste, her eyes downcast to the ground. "I...I..."   
Tenchi wipes his upper brow and comes closer in her defense, he puts his rough hands, blistered from hard labor, on her frail shoulders, "it's okay." He embraces her gently. "siiiigh" she smiles and burrows into his chest.   
  
  
---  
  
  
Washu's Lab:  
"AUUUUGH!! Come Onnnn!! WHAT THE FUCK is wrong with YOUR robot?!?"  
"Ryoko...pleassse! Don't break my concentration here. Mecha Sakuya is fiiine. It's the real Sakuya that seems to be wrong. Mecha Sakuya has a built in detector which leads her to Sakuya by matching DNA. The reason she stumbled at Sakuya's doorstep was because obviously she's not home. The DNA smudged on the walls and door are too faint and it turned M.S. astray. Don't worry. She will follow at my command wherever she may end up."  
Ryoko nods and forgives Washu for her bawdiness and lurid speak of before.  
  
  
---  
  
  
Yugi's Lair:  
"YES! YESYES!! I think Tenchi will take her to the cabin. It's just a matter of time before Ryoko and that thinks she's the Greatest Scientist In The Universe Washu which she isn't since I'm quite brilliant to do this all behind her back and get away with it! find out where Sakuya has been led. Won't Ryoko be disappointed...RAHAHAHAHAH!!"  
"More teaaa?" her assistant asks serenely.  
"Make it saki and you're on! We need to celebrate!"  
"Isn't it a bit soon? I mean, the plan hasn't been completed yet. They could save the day like they've done in many episodes since past and, quite frankly, that Tenchi isn't as weak..." Yugi interrupts, "SHUTUP!! When I say I can complete something I get it done! Now I'd like to get fucking sloshed over my pre-victory!" *snaps fingers*  
Her assistant runs off...  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Cabin:  
"What...what are we doing here?"  
"Just thought you needed to rest your feet..." "Tell me ...what are you doing here? Why..why did you come back when you know I basically rejected you....?"  
Sakuya touches Tenchi's hand gently and looks into his eyes..."Do you really want to know?"  



	8. The Surprise Attack Part VIII - M.S. Fol...

The Cabin:  
"Of..of course I want to know!" Tenchi looks at her with his deep brown eyes in exasperation.  
Sakuya turns away seeing that she has put herself in a bind. Should she really tell him the whole truth. The feelings she keeps having without warning? All of this makes her head hurt and she shakes while grasping her head, "Aaah! ..uuuuhhhh!!!"  
"SAKUUUYAA!!" Tenchi turns around with his hand grasping for her as she stumbles outside the doorway.  
  
  
---  
  
  
Yugi's Lair:  
"WHAT is THAT girl DOING??" Yugi grips her cup of tea as if she was going to shatter it into a million pieces in a second's time. She watches on the screen as Sakuya grasps her head and stumbles farther into the forest. "THIS is NOT supposed to be happening!! She MUST do her duty. She MUST make Tenchi hers before that robot appears. The robot only has one weakness and that weakness is love....if it sees love, it cannot shoot. It must see love on both sides of the coin.. both her and Tenchi MUST MUST MUST come together!!!"  
"More tea?"  
Yugi ignores her and snarls at the screen in defiance.   
  
  
---  
  
  
Washu's Lab:  
"Washu, where's the robot heading?" Ryoko sips some saki since she is too involved to gulp it like a (wo) man.  
"It...it's heading to the countryside it seems! On the bus....mmm hmmm.....I think.."  
"Yes? Heading to the town shopping center, maybe? That little Sakuya certainly needs better ..." Washu interrupts, "No, no, the countryside...Okiyama!!" Ryoko mutters her last words with her eyes dropping to the floor, "fashion sense...."  
"WHAAAAAAT?!?!?"  
"That's right, she is heading right for the Masaki residence."  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Cabin:  
"S...Sakuya..." Tenchi clenches his teeth not knowing what to do as he walks over to her.  
"Tenchi, you've got to get away from me!! It's just too dangerous...too much...I'M not like you! Someone's after me....I ...I can feel it."  
Tenchi stands one inch from touching her arm and lurches back, "AIIEE!'  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Masaki Living Room:  
"Hmmm Ayeka! Could you go check and see if Tenchi is still getting the carrots for dinner!" the little voice echoes from the kitchen where Ayeka is pacing in the entryway next to the living quarters sighing. A small tear falls from her face. "I..I can feel something isn't right," she mutters with eyes shut.  
  
  
Perking up to Sasami's query, she jumps, "Um...yes, yes Sasami. He is taking quite a while. Speaking of disappearances, where is Ryoko anyway? And Washu? Still in her lab? She has been cooking something up for quite awhile...."  
  
  
Sasami pops her head out, one foot still on the cold tile, soup spoon in hand, "Yess...I'll get Ryo-ohki to go investigate that as soon as dinner is ready...I reallllly need those carrots before the soup boils over..."  
Sasami seems urgent enough, so Ayeka nods in the affirmative, slipping on her wooden stilted sandals, adjusting her kimono and brushes through the front doorway in search of Tenchi.  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Bus:  
Mecha Sakuya slightly moves up to the front of the bus as the driver grunts, "LAST STOP for Okiyama!!" She blinks twice and bumps into a few stragglers in the aisle on her way. "Hey! Watch it little girl!" "What? No sorry??" a few disgruntled passengers yell out at her as she steps off and onto the dirt road.   
One passenger laughs and throws a rumpled piece of paper out the open window at her sunglassed head. She blinks again. "STUPID?!?" the man laughs and laughs with his hair blowing in the wind - a silly lumberjack going to his job a mile away. M.S. knits her brows together and mutters, "Mecha. Blaster. IS A GO!!" *ZZAAAAAAAP* *BOOOOOM* *THWAP*   
Smoke blows off the top of his balding head as he looks in shock with soot all over his face...he blinks and shrinks his head back in the window.  
  
  
M.S. grins and walks more briskly than she has done previously for her first non-inanimate attack. To the woods she goes...she smells the DNA and the chip in her head blinks in assurance.  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Woods by The Fields:  
"Tennnchiii!" Ayeka walks further and cautiously through the brush and twigs. Some cherry blossoms float above her head. She stoops down at the sight of a purple flower ...softly now, "Yosho..." a tear streaks down her face at the memory of when she first came down to earth to capture Ryoko...when she first recalled finding this same identical flower hidden in the weeds...the exact kind Yosho used to make the flower crown placed on her head - maybe one day marking marriage, but it wasn't to be... She glances as a tear flies from her eye at the shrine, "Yosho, I know you are no longer young, but I can't help feeling....I can't help that I was to become your bride... you understand, you understand ...you want me and tenchi.."   
she turns away, and plucks the purple flower; putting it in behind her ear - blending together with her violet strands, "now I must find Tenchi, for he is my future...."  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Cabin:  
Sakuya's eyes look as blank as night. Almost as if you can see yourself in them as clearly as twilight. Tenchi flinches and inches his way back to the cabin.   
Sakuya slumps over and wipes a few tears from her eyes..."I must go," she moans.  
Tenchi watches as she stumbles away and his eyes glisten with the sense that he is just watching her walk away. Why won't my feet move? He looks helplessly at her as she turns into an ink dot on the path....farther and farther away she roams...  
  
  
---  
  
  
10 miles from Sakuya:  
*snniiif* "I smell that familiar sweetness....the sweet smell of victory." M.S. pauses for a moment on the path, "Hmm and DNA!" she snaps her jittery metallic fingers reaching for her blaster in the folds of the jacket fabric. 


	9. The Surprise Attack Part IX - Ayeka in a...

The Woods:  
Mecha Sakuya lurked behind a tree and tiptoed slowly; gun in hand. She can hear Sakuya's sniffles - feet crushing the cherry blossoms.  
  
  
---  
  
  
Washu's Lab:  
"OOOOH MY!" Ryoko is in shock at what she sees on the screen. "That's right by the cabin; the one where I caught Ayeka and Tenchi...AUGH!"  
Washu bows her head with a downcast glance at the floating laptop as she zooms in on the scene before them. "Yes, you're right. Look, I'm sorry. I know how you want Tenchi even more than you want to destroy Sakuya. Am I right?"  
Mouth hung open, she turns away, "I....yes, of course. I'd never harm Tenchi. I love Tenchi." A tear trickles down her cheeks.  
"I hardly see you get like this. It's good...it really is...come here," Washu opens her arms to her daughter. It's a first. Ryoko doesn't retaliate, she just excepts the offer.  
  
  
---  
  
  
Close to the Open Field near the Masaki Residence:  
Sakuya trudges further along not looking at where she's going.  
M.S. snickers to herself as she looks on at her forlorn target. "So weak.. Soo weaaak. No love resides in that body." She sniffs and blinks three times, still with finger on the trigger waiting for a good aim. "Just a bit more and you'll be in view..."  
  
  
---  
  
  
Near the Cabin:  
Ayeka continues her jaunt walk on her search for Tenchi. About to yell out his name again, she sees the cabin and stops in her tracks. He's there..   
There he sits, head in hands at what just happened. He doesn't get Sakuya. He doesn't understand why she won't just reveal what's wrong so he can help her. Shaking his head, he runs his hands shakily through his hair. It's a cute mess.   
Ayeka can't help but grin and come up towards him slowly as to surprise him, "Lord Tenchi.."   
He glances up into her ruby eyes and his worrisome expression disappears into oblivion. "Lady Ayeka...erm..." he scratches his head in sheepishness.   
"What's on your mind? You seem troubled.." He puts his hand on her shoulder and she flinches slightly at thoughts from the last time they were here ..together. "Please tell me you won't get mad....I heard you'd put this behind you.."  
"What is it Tenchi?" her voice disappears in her throat at the first uttering of Sakuya's name. Her eyebrows furrow and her eyes are downcast as she tries to turn away from Tenchi's pleading eyes. "T...T...TENCHI!!" a tear trickles down her face as her shoulders shake, "Why did that wench come here? I said I'd put it behind me...be..because I thought she had gone..." She turns her head away.   
  
  
Tenchi puts his arms around her as her shoulders heave from her tears; the wetness falls onto his sunburnt arms. "Lady Ayeka....please look at me..."  
Her eyes open wide as she turns around; mouth slightly agape. He pulls her in close to him and she can breathe the smell of his skin as the sunlight descends in the distance. He wraps her in his arms and says, "We share something very special...I'm crowned Prince of Jurai..."   
"Aaah..." Ayeka sighs as if she was going to faint at the words coming from Tenchi's mouth.. She can't believe it's true!  
"And I should've done this a looong time ago.." he laughs to take away from the seriousness, "but...Lady Ayeka...I...I..."  
  
  
Gun shots are heard in the distance.  
  
  
---  
  
  
Washu's Lab:  
Ryoko shakes herself away from Washu when she sees a good view of the screen. Sakuya is about ten feet from the robot. She sees the robot raise her gun slowly...a sweat drop appears on her forehead, "Aaah...AAAAAH!" incredulously Ryoko grips her cold cup of saki in suspense at the scene before her. "It's really going to happen!!"  
Washu grins proudly, "Of course, it is. I'm a genius!!" *puppets appear* 'You're the best Washu!! You're the GREATEST, Washu! The Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe!!' "YEAAAAH!!"  
  
  
Sakuya is 5 steps away...4...3....2.....  
  
  
M.S. pops out from behind the tree as the real Sakuya flinches in shock and a few practice gunshots go off in the air *popPOPzzaaaaapPOP* Sakuya covers her ears and drops to the ground.   
  
  
M.S. comes in closer and stops in her tracks as her hard face softens...  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Cabin:  
When the gunshots stop Tenchi knows he must say what he is about to say before more troublesome antics stop him again. I must..I must not let Ryoko or any of them get to me... They're always causing havoc and I can never profess my real emotions. This is my last chance...don't blow it..don't blow it...!! He clenches his fist and almost losing nerve he yells out, "I...I loveyouayeka!!" he says it so fast he almost loses breath.  
  
  
Ayeka stares in shock..."What did you just say?"  
Tenchi takes her in his arms. "I said I love you," he says it calmly and his eyes soften and tears stream down ayeka's cheeks. He wipes them away and kisses her softly.   
  
  
---  
  
  
The Woods:  
M.S. pats Sakuya on the head and walks away.  
"Love....I can sense it..."  
  
  
---  
  
  
Yugi's Lair:  
"OH NO!!! I'm going to KILL that girl!!! She didn't get them away from Tenchi!! She's a FAILURE!!!"  
Her assistant laughs unceremoniously, "You never said who he had to love. Who knew that boy would get up the nerve for that princess..." she giggles a few more times behind her hand.  
"SILENCE!!! Get me my weapons. THAT girl is USELESS!! AAAAAAH MY plans are RUINED!!" 


	10. The Surprise Attack Part X - Yugi Finds ...

Near the Cabin:  
Ayeka looks at her feet, eyes wide open. "Oh my.." she stumbles a bit down the path, eyes skewed from the sunlight spotting through the netted trees. "It was just a daydream." She sits on a rock near a tree, head in hands. "It seemed...." she pauses and looks up at Tenchi watching the desolate path ahead and blinks, "hmmm...maybe it's a premonition!"  
  
  
---  
  
  
Washu's Lab:  
"What was THAT about??"  
"You wanted them to be fooled, right? I knew Yugi was watching. You don't think I know about our enemies?" *cheesy grin* "I'm a GENIUS!"   
"whahwhahGENIUSwhahwhah...." Ryoko mutters, "Why Ayeka though!!?"  
"If the hologram was of you, they'd be on to us. You are here. Everyone knows you are in the lab with me. That would be way too obvious. Plus, eh..." Washu shrugs, "Ayeka was looking for him anyway. I saw her on the path while watching the screen earlier when you took a slight nap..." She smirks.  
"AAAAH?? I was NOT sleeping!!!"  
"Hey, I see what I see. Don't worry. I think we'll nail Sakuya soon."  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Woods:  
Sakuya stumbles along the path feeling a sense of déjà vu. She felt she had done this; been here; seen this all before. She blinks and watches her step near the tree. For some reason it irks her...like she knows what's going to happen.  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Cabin:  
Ayeka gathers the edges of her kimono and rises from her rock seat to walk towards where Tenchi stands shielding his eyes... hesitating, she calls out, "Tenchiii!"  
  
  
---  
  
  
Yugi's Lair:  
A big blaster in her shaking hands full of anger, she looks back at the screen where her assistant stands to the side, hands on hips and wiggles closer to the chair.   
"Stand back and open both vortex's. I need good aim!"  
Yugi takes one last glance at the screen about to grab the massive telescope to get a closer look down below when she gasps, "Aah! What? What is happening?"  
  
  
---  
  
  
Washu's Lab:  
"I still wonder why you didn't just have Mecha Sakuya destroy Sakuya then and there! Why the detour? Just to get this...this Yugi in more of a rage??"  
"No, no.... do you want her to know all of our intentions? We had to make it look like Sakuya was going to survive. It is her shadow. She doesn't really want Sakuya dead. She wants to stop us."  
Ryoko seems bothered, "So?? I still don't get ...I don't..." She seems confused, "Wait, Sakuya isn't real anyway?? umm...."  
"Look, I didn't know any of this, till I observed the data during your little cat n..." Ryoko interrupts, "I TOLD you I wasn't slee....p..." Washu brushes her hands away and turns back to the screen with Ryoko in mid hand raisings.  
"See, we still must go through with destroying her now. I know you wanted this for personal reasons, but... but see this is even more dangerous than I thought!"  
"Uhh..." Ryoko is baffled.  
"Since Sakuya is Yugi's shadow, if we don't destroy Sakuya properly, you could lose more than Tenchi's love and support. This could destroy all of us since now we know she knows what is happening. She doesn't know why... I don't know... she just knows and she will try to stop us if we don't distract her beforehand..."  
"Do you think she's on to this new ploy yet?"  
"I ..I can't be sure. I figured it would be enough to keep her in shock for five minutes..."  
  
  
---  
  
  
Near the Cabin:  
Tenchi turns around and sees Ayeka stumbling over the rocks, with her dress slightly raised to avoid trips. "Oh...is dinner ready?"  
Ayeka blushes at thoughts from earlier in her memory bank, "Ah...no lord Tenchi... That's why.. that's why I came here." A slight smile appears as she looks up into his eyes as he mildly glances at her. "Is that so? OH! Wait..." with a sheepish grin, he scratches his head, "the carrots!"  
Ayeka's eyes glimmer and her lashes cover them slightly, "Yes...exactly... Umm...there's something else I must ask you too.."  
"Oh? What is it lady Ayeka?"  
  
  
Before she can respond gun shots are heard in the distance.  
  
  
"It's this again!" Ayeka's eyes pop almost out of her head.  
"What ...again?" he looks off into the distance.  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Woods:  
Mecha Sakuya stands over the real Sakuya sardonically. Eyes blinking she makes the scariest seeming smirk she can muster and grabs out her blaster again, "PRACTICE SHOT's a GOOO!!" blinking a few more times it goes crazy ...  
Sakuya shields her eyes and moans, "Tenchi....Tenchiii....aah! Help me! It's happening.... What's wrong... Why do I know what's going to happen? The outcome..."  
  
  
---  
  
  
Yugi's Lair:  
She stares at the screen once more and blinks. She sees Sakuya alone and brushing the grass from the back of her skirt. No robot in sight.  
"Augh! The thing must've disappeared after the signs of LOVE! I can't believe Tenchi would get up the nerve for that snooty one! Sakuya is the friend; the easy going hip one...WTF?!?"  
"Uhh..." her assistant turns away from Yugi as she shakes her fist at the screen.  
  
  
---  
  
  
Washu's Lab:  
Tthere! I fixed the bug in the program. Now Yugi won't see what we see. I think that'll be enough distraction before she gets her telescope out..."  
"HAHA! She has a telescope?? Such HIGH technology...." *snicker* Ryoko is in knee-slapping action mode and tosses her glass of saki in the air as if in a toast.  
Washu lets out a breath, "HEY! Who cares how unarmored she is. This is a good thing for us. I'll give the signal for Mecha Sakuya. she's stalling cause of the bug in her system. She'll see the blinking red light go off in a sec and get in combat mode.."  
"As long as it happens..." Ryoko gets over her joke and looks calmly at the screen.  
  
  
---  
  
  
Near the Cabin:  
"Ayeka?"  
She blinks and looks up at Tenchi's worried expression. "Oh, umm... don't worry... It's nothing." She looks down and shifts her eyes away.  
"It's okay...." He puts an arm around her shaking shoulders, "Ya know, it's probably just some hunters. It's good game season." He grins and takes her to the cabin to sit down.  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Woods:  
Mecha Sakuya hears the beeping in her head and looks straight at Sakuya whose eyes are wide open in shock and mouth hanging open in a mute scream; one arm is behind her as if to run away.  
"You...you..." M.S. blinks a few times and grabs her blaster again. "You're not going anywhere... MECHA BLASSSTTEEER!!" She flips her gun around a few times.  
"Wh...what?" Sakuya is scared out of her wits ....she can't run though. She's stuck.  
  
  
---  
  
  
Yugi's Lair:  
She shakes off this premonition and sees a film of light blue over the screen. "AUUUGH!"  
"What is it master?"  
"This... this was a trick! This is a hologram!!!!!"  
Her assistant looks up, "What would you like me to do?"  
"Get me my telescope!"  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Woods:  
Hands shaking slightly, M.S. looks around and does a few more test shots at the trees. Black smoke burning a hole through a few of the trees as they wither in front of her.  
Sakuya tries to back up a bit more till she can't see anymore from the rays of the sun burning through her skull. The red aiming light from the blaster aimed at her now.  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Cabin:  
Ayeka sits on the edge of the bench as Tenchi follows her in. "Are you alright? Would you like me to take you back to the house?"  
She looks up and politely says, "No thank you. I'm fine, really. I'm sorry I caused so much commotion. I was thinking of something else entirely..."  
"It's okay. Would you like to talk to me about something? You seemed like you had something on your mind earlier."  
Ayeka looks up and remembers what she was going to say before the shots rang, "Ah...it's not important." She turns away, hands shifting uneasily in her lap.   
Tenchi grabs at her fragile Juraian hand and says, "It's okay.... You can tell me. Please? I'm your friend."  
She perks up at the word 'friend' and lets out a small breath, "Um, I ..I had a premonition earlier...before I reached the clearing in the path...."  
Tenchi looks at her with curiosity in his eyes.  
"Well, you had professed your want to be taken into the Juraian family; to be bound by marriage to ..." hesitating she slightly pulls her hand away.  
"Yes?" Tenchi moves in closer, "I'm listening... It's okay..."  
"Well, like you'd want to go through with it with Ryoko (eye roll) and Sakuya (growl) around...."  
"What is it? I don't get what you're trying to say ..."  
She realizes how naive Tenchi can be and almost loses patience, but turns with warm eyes towards him, "I had a premonition that you wanted to marry me, lord Tenchi..."  
He gulps and turns away blushing.  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Woods:  
Mecha Sakuya goes a bit crazy again as she can sense love coming through her machinery again; this time for real.  
Sakuya figures this is the moment she should run... She tries to get up... Her hand is stuck.... There is something holding her down.  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Cabin:  
Ayeka knows she must have said too much. Why did she open up? This wasn't right! She should've just grabbed him right then...marriage talk!! The nerve!  
Tenchi turns back towards her, "Umm...erm...we should head back now! I need to get the carrots. I left them..." he points in all these different directions, obviously flustered, "uhh at the field! that's it!"  
He inches his way out and then stops reaching his hand out, "lady Ayeka? You coming?"  
She shyly gets up slowly, "Uh...yes, I s'pose so. The others might get worried if we are gone too long."  
She hides the fact of a slight tear escaping with downcast eyes.  
  
  
---  
  
  
The Woods:  
Mecha Sakuya detects no more interferences and looks back at her prey. AH the handy hand puller field worked! M.S. beams and takes the safety off her blaster.  
Aiming the red light at Sakuya's sunglassed head, she realizes this should be the last time she ever has to do this again.  
  
  
Aiming the smoking barrel closer, red light blinking again and again....a shot goes off. 


	11. The Surprise Attack Part XI - The Climax

The Woods:  
Mecha Sakuya looks down at Sakuya struggling on the ground with a smirk. "I. did. it. I. did. IT. I. DID. it!!" The puppets come out 'You did it!' 'You're not so bad for a clone of Sakuya' 'Hurraaahhh!'  
  
  
Sakuya cries out as the pain surges through her body; a slight gaping red hole in her chest. "W...why? Who are you?" she whimpers with slight crystallized fake tears streaming down her starched face.  
  
  
M.S. looks down and stumbles a bit, "Under command! I. DESTROY!"  
  
  
Sakuya closes her eyes slowly and collapses as M.S. scuffs the dirt over her bare legs and walks hesitantly off back to the lab.  
  
  
Near the Cabin:  
Ayeka walks after Tenchi touching his arm, "I'm sorry for mentioning it....I didn't mean to embarrass you." She looks down with a slight glow across her nose and cheeks; it ripened as he stared, sweat glistening off his forehead.  
  
  
"Errm...no! It's fiiiine! I'm sorry I react like this...sometimes! I'm glad you told me." His face loosens up and he gives a warm smile and grabs her shoulders, "that certainly wouldn't be a punishment on my account."   
"Oooh....Tenchiiii..." She grasps at him and tears stream down her cheeks, "I'm so glad. I thought I'd made a fool of myself!"   
"Never think that lady Ayeka.... You can tell me anything!" He stretches and they go off to the field to gather the carrot basket.  
  
  
Yugi's Lair:  
Her assistant pushes the lens of the telescope in her direction, "Here! Anything else you need?"  
"No..it's fine. You can take a break."   
She bows and exits.  
  
  
As Yugi stares into the lens, she sees a crippled figure laying on the ground with a smudge of red covering her chest... "Hrm..what's this?" She tries to wipe the lens thinking it might be a blur of some sort and looks again. "Aaah! What has happened to Sakuya?!? I thought she would've left by now! AUUUGH!!!"  
  
  
Dropping the telescope lens, it teeters back on it's stand and Yugi grabs at her head in rage, "Aaaaah!!! If she goes, I will cease to exist as a full entity!!! I could never have the power to destroy all of them!!" She collapses shortly as the blow in Sakuya's wound seems to spread.  
  
  
The Lab:  
Ryoko does a slight victory dance at the sight of Sakuya laying unmoving on the ground from the monitor. "We did it! Now Tenchi can be mine ...."  
Washu sits down haphazardly and replies, "I guess we did... This certainly would be the end of Yugi, also. I just feel a sense of remorse."  
"WHY?? They wanted to mess with my feelings for Tenchi!! Even Ayeka's and you know how much I dislike that half-wit of a princess.... I'd never allow this third party to interfere! We've finally destroyed them before they were to destroy us... Isn't that the whole point to this?"  
"....." Washu pauses and looks back at the screen at Sakuya seen as an innocent girl who had no idea what was going on; she had no idea.... "I just don't think we did the right thing."  
"WHAT?!?" Ryoko's teeth are clenched. "You're off your rocker, Washu.... We did the right thing and you know it!"  
Washu shakes her head and turns away, "I need my dinner. It's getting late."  
  
  
In The Field:  
Tenchi gathers the basket he left here when Sakuya left him I wonder where she is he thinks.   
Ayeka looks up at Tenchi as he looks off into the distance, "Why the serious stare? Is something the matter?"  
"....I just wonder if Sakuya made it home okay. She left in a hurry."  
Ayeka glares but hides it. "I'm sure she's fine," she says in a monotonous tone.  
  
  
The Woods:  
Sakuya blinks a few times..."T...t...Tenchi...save...me...."  
In her hand she grasps a thread from his shirt. 


	12. The Surprise Attack Part XII - End and V...

In The Field:  
"I thought I heard a voice off in the distance."  
"It was probably just the wind." Ayeka feels a shiver run through her body, but it wasn't the weather. It was cause she was showing her jealous side to Tenchi again when they were getting so close. She looks back at him; the curve of his chin, the sweat glistening off his face once more as the sun sets over the mountains. The cherry blossoms fleeing something unknown.  
  
  
Tenchi hands the basket of carrots to Ayeka, "Take these inside.... I need to investigate this more.." His face quivered with semi-fear as he stepped further towards the woods again.   
Ayeka just stood there watching him and sighed, "I hope, I just hope Sakuya knows what she's up against and just went home. Back on that train. Return to her own world." She steps off hesitantly knowing Tenchi will have the power to fight the unknown whatever it is.  
  
  
The Woods:  
Sakuya lay in a heap, nonspeaking now. A blossom grazed her cheek as if a meaning for an end like laying the rose on the coffin. She seemed to be gone. As gone as the ashes from a fire, as picked flowers stuck in small princesses' hair.  
  
  
Tenchi stepped on a twig and it made a *craaaacking* noise. "Eep!" he cringes and keeps his balance with the tree trunk nearby. He sees the shadow of the corpse lying a few steps away. He feels a slight sense of remorse and kneels down.  
"Sakuya?" he barely gets the words out, his lips are too dry and the sun is beating too hard though it's about to disappear. No answer. "Sakuya?" She lays very still, her open palm revealing the string from his shirt.   
  
  
He grasps it and screams up to the heavens, "SAKUYA!!!!" and tears stream in the corners of his eyes, and fly to the grass below barely having time to hit before disappearing and becoming one with the muddy ground. He collapses next to her and asks, "Won't anyone help me?? Washu! Ryokooo! Grandfather! DAAAAD!!" He whimpers with his head in his hands.   
  
  
The Lab:  
Ryoko turns to see Washu getting up and taking the vortex door up to the kitchen.   
She looks back at the screen and suddenly interested sees Tenchi laying in a heap next to Sakuya crying?   
Ryoko turns away for a second and thinks, "Why would Tenchi lie there next to her like that? This was supposed to get us all closer; to get the intruder out of our lives. She's not even real, Tenchi.... She's not even real. She was never real."  
  
  
The Masaki Kitchen:  
Sasami sat at the table, head in hands while Ryo-ohki mewed over and over again with tilted head. "Where is everyone? Dinner was ready hours ago."  
  
  
Suddenly she hears the crackle of the vortex and sees Washu stretch and look about the room. "No one has shown up yet, huh kid?"  
  
  
With a slight lisp she whispers, "No. I made this great miso soup and even got the fortune cookie ingredients from the market earlier this week." She points at the plate in the corner and the soup pan left steaming on the corner stove.   
  
  
"I'll eat. Don't worry. I'm STARVING!" Washu grins and sits down tying the napkin around her neck.   
  
  
"It's nice to see one excited member of this house ready to eat. I sent Ayeka out a while ago to get the carrots and she never returned, so I hope you don't mind that they're missing."  
  
  
"Are you KIDDING?? I'm just glad there's actual food here! ...unlike the many times we've starved when out of money."  
  
  
"Yes, true." Sasami bows her head as she ladles the broth from the pan into the small bowl. "I just hoped we could all enjoy it for once."  
  
  
Yugi's Lair:  
Her assistant pops in to check on her. "Master! What's the matter??"  
She sees Yugi displayed out next to her telescope barely moving; writhing around on the ground just saying over and over again, "noNOnoNO... She wasn't supposed to be...she....nooooo...I..I was supposed to...r..rule...." She stops and gasps, eyes popping out, face turning very pale.  
A big "O" expression forms on the assistant's face and in exasperation she pleads, "What would I do without you to guide me? We were supposed to rule this measly planet." She chuckles with blasted remorse, "We could've turned this place into what we wanted. The planet of floating rocks and fire; the trees turned to dust. All the humans ...all of them our prisoners of triumph!"  
  
  
The assistant grew silent and took Yugi's body to the tomb that was built those years ago when her people wanted her banished. Sighing she said, "I guess it was for the best, eh?" and laughs. "I'm finally freeee!!" She skips off.  
  
  
The Woods:  
Tenchi looks up as the sun makes it's last shimmer upon the ground before descending to nothingness, "I would've said I loved you if you just gave me time."  
  
  
He got up, brushing the dirt from his pants, and when he looked down again her body started to static and disappear. Tenchi looked in shock and held himself up barely, "W..what?"   
  
  
He looked back again and there wasn't a trace. Not even his shirt string.  
  
  
The Masaki Residence:  
Ayeka took her shoes off at the door and walked briskly through the kitchen with the carrot basket. Ryo-ohki heard the paddings of her socked feet on the ground and jumped up and down in joy and nearly knocked the basket out of her hands.  
  
  
Ayeka sees Washu gobbling her food like she hasn't seen it in weeks [maybe so if she had been working extra hard] and Sasami looking forlorn, untying her carrot apron. "I'm sorry, Sasami. I only meant to take a moment. Tenchi should be here soon. He heard a noise in the forest."  
  
  
"What? I hope he's okay. Why didn't you go with him?"  
"Tenchi can fight his own battles."  
Sasami nodded, "I suppose you're right. Do you want a fortune cookie?"  
  
  
The Lab:  
Ryoko sits in silence for a while until she feels she can raise her body from that chair; she feels like she's been here for ages when it probably was only merely a couple of hours.   
  
  
Looking at the screen one last time, she sees nothing is there. Not seeming the least bit surprised she gets up and mutters silently, "I'll make you mine someday Tenchi. The earth is grieving and the sun will soon rise again."  
  
-The End-  
  
sidenote: text beta read by Lindsey, my cousin, so if there are any editorial mistakes it's not my fault ^_- 


End file.
